From Canada with Love

Long time Lollapalooza performers, Stars released a new album right before this summer's festival. The album is the first full CD the band has recorded in almost three years since their last release In Our Bedroom After the War (2007). Stars fans will find this new album titled The Five Ghosts distrubuted by Vagrant records, which is a change from their usual Canada based Arts-Crafts Records. The reason for the depart from Arts-Crafts is because Stars have started their own label Soft Revolution, however with their label they can only distribute in Canada. All international distribution will go through Vagrant, there are not hard feelings from either the band or former Arts-Crafts which still hosts other Broken Social Scene artists such as Feist.

Fans of the early albums such as Nightsongs (2001) will probably hate this new album as much as they hated the last album. The simple problem here is that this band has changed their sound over the decade. Even from Nightsongs to Heart (2003) the band made several evolutionary changes to their sound. The sometimes clubbish music developed into more emotionally relevant popsongs spawning the popular single Elevator Love Letter. Stars seemed to exploit this ability to pen catchy romance songs which can recall artists like Captain and Tennille. The band reached a sort of just-beneath-the-surface level of popularity with Set Yourself on Fire (2004). This album showed the band's ability to not only produce great pop music but also deepen it with striking, storytelling lyrics quite evident in the song Your Ex Lover is Dead. Stars really offended long time fans with their 2007 released In Our Bedroom… because of just how radically different it sounded from anything released before. It took the pop but left the deep lyrics.

Fans of their last album will love this new one. The first single Fixed has even gotten moderate radio plays on top 40 stations which always seems to offend indie music listeners. Again, the pop sound is here and its not necessarily all bad, its just the lyrics that are lacking. The voices are excellent but often singing lyrics that make you cringe. Memorably uncomfortable lyrics such as "you only sold me ecstasy so you could have some sex with me but I don't want your body," kind of make you wonder if the band members are pushing middle age why are they still singing about life as a twenty year old? There are good songs on this album, make no mistake of that, but there are at least three throw-aways. This is an album that makes great use of the iTunes a la cart purchasing option. The good songs on this album are amazing, and remind listeners of some of the better 80s pop without overdoing it like some current indie acts. Stars are masters of their genre.

For those who see Stars live, they will not be disappointed by the band's show. If you see this band play out, you will never forget it. Their stage presence is undeniable. They combine the theatrical and the showmanship that too many bands these days lack. Seeing Stars perform is akin to falling in love, they deliver the buzz that reminds us of a great first date. Download: The Passenger, The Last Song Ever Written.